After the TTC approved a sole-sourced contract for control of all subway newsstands, Councillor Doug Ford criticized the deal by saying it was akin to a 2010 contract his brother Mayor Rob Ford cited as evidence of “corruption and skullduggery” in city council.

On Monday, the TTC struck a $50-million deal with Woodbridge-based Tobmar Investments to control all subway newspaper distribution for the next 10 years, with a five year extension.

Tobmar submitted an unsolicited bid to extend its lease last year, and TTC staff determined that “sufficient justification” existed to nix a public tender process.

After the commission authorized staff to proceed with the deal, other firms expressed interest in bidding on the contract, prompting the agency to take another look. A second report from staff recommended that the transit agency seek competitive bids in the interest of a “competitive, fair and transparent process” but the commission stuck with the Tobmar deal.

“When you push $50-million sole sourced, that’s pretty ballsy, especially in this administration,” said Doug Ford in reaction to the deal.

During Rob Ford’s mayoral campaign, the candidate criticized an untendered, 20-year contract city council had struck with Tuggs Inc., the operator of the Beaches-area Boardwalk Pub.

The Tuggs contract was signed against the strong recommendations of city staff, who repeatedly urged that the contract be tendered.

Following an August 2010 closed-door meeting in which the deal was approved, Mr. Ford told the Toronto Sun editorial board that “there’s more corruption and skullduggery going on in there than I’ve ever seen in my life.”

The comments spurred a $6-million defamation case against Mr. Ford by Tugg Inc.’s owner George Foulidis.

On Dec. 28, an Ontario Superior Court judge dismissed the lawsuit, saying there was “serious doubt” with Mr. Foulidis’ testimony.

On Monday, Doug Ford asked if the Tobmar deal was “another Tuggs?”

TTC CEO Andy Byford called the contract with Tobmar Investments a “good deal.”

“I mean obviously we’ll never know if it could have been a better deal because there won’t now be that wider competition, but I think at face value it is a good deal,” he said.